Sanitary towel

ABSTRACT

A sanitary towel having a member which extends in the longitudinal direction thereof is elastically deformable particularly in the transverse direction of the towel, and is of such width that in the position of use of the towel it is elastically deformed to thereby urge the side edges of the portion of the towel situated between the thighs of the wearer into side leakage avoiding sealing engagement with adjacent leg portions irrespective of any variation in the relative positions thereof. The edges of the towel are curved upward in a prestressed position and are retained in that position by means of a strip of material that extends between the edges of the towel and is of a material that weakens upon contact with liquid, so that the strip ruptures after the towel is in place.

United States Patent [72 Inventor Esko Tapio Olsson Molndal, Sweden [21]Appl. No. 786,196 [22] Filed Dec. 23, 1968 [45] Patented Mar. 16, 1971[73] Assignee Molnlycke AB Gothenburg, Sweden [32] Priority Dec. 29,1967 [33] Sweden [31] 18,087/1967 [54] SANITARY TOWEL 3 Claims, 7Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl. [51] Int. Cl. [50] Field of Search [5 6] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,371,667 3/1968 Merse 3,371,668 3/1968 Johnson3,494,362 2/1970 Burgeni 128/290 FOREIGN PATENTS 43,071 8/1926 Norway128/290 814,498 6/1959 Great Britain 128/290 Primary Examiner-Charles F.Rosenbaum Attorney-Young & Thompson wearer into side leakage avoidingsealing engagement with adjacent leg portions irrespective of anyvariation in the relative positions thereof. The edges of the towel arecurved upward in a prestressed position and are retained in thatposition by means of a strip of material that extends between the edgesof the towel and is of a material that weakens upon contact with Aliquid, so that the strip ruptures after the towel is in place.

" Patented, March 16, 1971 0, 3

2 Sheets-Sheet l INVEN'I'OR. [ska TAP/0 04 sso/v Patented March16, 19713,570,493

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SANITARY TOWEL The present invention is concerned withsanitary towels. In conventional sanitary towels the absorption materialof the towel is normally enclosed in a separate casing or sheath to forman absorption body. a

One prerequisite of sanitary towels is that said towels when placed inposition seal to the highest possible extent against the insides of thethighs of the wearer to. avoid so-called side leakage.

The object of the present invention is to provide a sanitary towel whichrealizes the aforesaid requirement in a simple and effective manner.This is achieved by a sanitary towel according to the invention which ischaracterized in that it includes a member which extends in thelongitudinal direction of said towel and which is elasticallydeformable,- particularly in the transverse direction of the towel andwhich is of such width that in the position of use of the towel saidmember can be elastically deformed to thereby urge the side edges of thetowel situated between the thighs-of the wearer into sealing engagementagainst the adjacent leg portions irrespective of any variation in therelative position thereof.

The elastic member can be formed in a plurality of ways within the scopeof the invention. In a preferred embodiment the member comprises a slabof foam plastic or similar material on which the absorption body ispositioned. Instead of the elastic slab, or in combination therewith, aresilient insert can be arranged within or on the absorption body.Alternatively, a portion of the casing of the absorption body can bemade of foam plastic or similar elastic material, possibly having forinstance a layer of fibrous material positioned on the inside thereof toimpart the desired softness to the towel. To facilitate positioning ofthe towel said towel can be prestressed and retained in the stressedposition by means of a strip of liquid-soluble material. When the stripof material is.

moistened by the liquid emanating from the user it ruptures allowing theside edge portion of the towel to spread into sealing engagement withadjacent portions of the body.

A number of suitable embodiments-of the towel according to the inventionare shown in cross section in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a sanitary towel according to the invention provided withan elastic member incorporated in the absorption body, FIG. 2 is adiagrammatic view in perspective of the elastic member shown in FIG. 1,FIG. 3. shows the towel with upwardly curved side edges and placed inposition between two portions of the body, FIG. 4-shows anotherembodiment in which the absorption body lies on a slab of elasticmaterial, FIG. 5 shows the towel in FIG. 4 in the position of use, FIG.6 shows a towel which is held prestressed in the position of use bymeans of a liquid-soluble material strip, and FIG. 7 shows the towel ofFIG. 6 subsequent to rupture of the retaining material strip. r a In theFIGS. there is shown a cross section of an absorption body 1 whichconsists, in a known manner, of a casing of net material, gauze,nonwoven or the like material encasing a liquid-absorbing substance suchas dry defibered cellulose.

completely or partially enclosed by an outer layer of cellular plasticmaterial, rayon fibre, synthetic fibre or nonwoven material to impart asoft surface to the'towel.

FIG. 2 shows an elastic, flexible member in the form of a ladder-shapedmember presenting cross ribs 2, and longitudinally extending ribs 3. Theflexible member is made of a resilient plastic material and is insertedin the absorption body 1, suitably in the proximity of its bottom side.

FIG. 3 illustrates a cross section of the towel clamped between theinsides of two body portions 4,5 indicated by morse lines. The side edgeportions of the towel are curved upwards and as a result of the flexiblemembers 2,3 the side edges of said towel are urged into sealing abutmentwith the body portions 4,5. The manner in which the towel endeavors toconform to the actual width between the aforementioned bod cportions hasbeen indicated raphically with arrows 6.

F 4 illustrates a cross sec IOII of'an absorption body which lies on aslab 7 of foam plastic, foam rubber, acryl fibre or some other similarresilient elastic material. The absorption body and the material slabcan be arranged within a net hose 8 which is used to suspend the towel.

The under surface of the absorption body is suitably fixed at its centerportion to the slab by gluing 9 or heat sealing, for instance.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross section of the towel in FIG. 4 in theposition of use where the towel functions in the same manner as thatdescribed with reference to FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cross section of essentially the same towel as thatillustrated in FIG. 4 except that the towel in FIG. 6 is biassed in itsposition of use. A strip 10 of liquid-soluble material such as cellularplastic extends between the upwardly curved edges of the material slaband is secured thereto by adhesive or heat sealing.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross section of the towel in FIG. 6 subsequent tosaid towel being placed in position and subsequent to the strip ofliquid-soluble material being ruptured to form two portions l0a,l0b as aresult of the liquid emanating from the wearer of the towel. The sideedge portions of the material slab 7 abut sealingly with the adjacentbody portions 4,5 and adapt themselves to the different distancestherebetween.

I claim: e

1. In a sanitary towel comprising an elastically deformable memberextending lengthwise of the towel for sealing the edges of the towelagainst the body of the user, and a body of material absorptive toliquid on said elastically deformable member; the improvement comprisinga layer of material that weakens upon contact with liquid and thatextends between and retains the edges of the towel closer together thanwhen the elastically deformable member is unstressed, so that uponcontact with liquid, said layer ruptures and the elastically deformablemember applies the edges of the towel against the body of the user.

2. A towel as claimed in claim 1, said elastically deformable membercomprising a slab of elastically deformable material.

3. A towel as claimed in claim I, said elastically deformable membercomprising a number of flexible ribs spaced apart lengthwise of thetowel and held together by at least one longitudinally extending ribintegral therewith.

1. In a sanitary towel comprising an elastically deformable memberextending lengthwise of the towel for sealing the edges of the towelagainst the body of the user, and a body of material absorptive toliquid on said elastically deformable member; the improvement comprisinga layer of material that weakens upon contact with liquid and thatextends between and retains the edges of the towel closer together thanwhen the elastically deformable member is unstressed, so that uponcontact with liquid, said layer ruptures and the elastically deformablemember applies the edges of the towel against the body of the user.
 2. Atowel as claimed in claim 1, said elastically deformable membercomprising a slab of elastically deformable material.
 3. A towel asclaimed in claim 1, said elastically deformable member comprising anumber of flexible ribs spaced apart lengthwise of the towel and heldtogether by at least one longitudinally extending rib integraltherewith.